Sustainable fashion by Stella McCartney
One of the things I regret in my life is not buying a pair of Stella McCartney mushroom leather shoes at a TJ Max shop in Berlin. The price was within reach and they looked and felt so sturdy and iconic. All of us may have more chances to dance in sustainable style as Stella McCartney, the sustainable fashion icon and daughter of Paul McCartney, is working again with the fast fashion label H&M. Fast fashion, Zara, Shein, Mango and COS, show us that they aren’t going anywhere. What we can do is when we shop at these international chains is choose sustainable choices over those made from synthetics that leak microplastics.
Sustainable fashion, Stella McCartney
“I’m excited to reunite with H&M after 20 years since our first collaboration. Reworking pieces from my archive brought back so much energy and joy. This second partnership feels like a chance to look at how far we’ve come on sustainability, cruelty-free practices and conscious design – and to stay honest about how far we still have to go—together.
Related: make mushroom paper and leather
Sustainable fashion at a landfill runway, Stella McCartney
“I am thrilled to have H&M join me on this road, real change only happens when we push from both the outside and the inside, and I’ve always believed in infiltrating from within to move the industry forward,” said Stella in a press announcement.
Stella not only delivers fashion, she’s the first of the big brands to actually integrate fungus, and plant-based plastics into her pieces, runways and collections. With Balena, she chose the Israeli biodegradable plastic company for her running shoes, she’s worked with cinnamon waste in these biodregadable shoes. And she uses a mushroom based leather for her fashion pieces in clothing and footwear.
A Stella McCartney decomposing shoe
What’s the plan with H&M? The collection isn’t launched yet but let’s hope it will be bold.
H&M’s Creative Advisor Ann-Sofie Johansson (pictured above) said: “Stella’s designs have changed the course of fashion history: they championed sustainable practices long before that conversation became mainstream.
“Her work is always joyful, playful, energetic.”
Ann-Sofie Johansson from H&M with Stella McCartney
The Stella McCartney H&M collection will launch in stores and online in Spring 2026. The collection will feature certified, responsible materials – many of which are recycled – showcasing examples of alternatives for conventional fabrics and textiles.
This announcement comes 20 years since McCartney’s first collection for the label where they celebrated sustainability, cruelty-free practices and conscious designs. We can’t wait to preview the collection soon!
::Stella McCartney and sustainability
Author: Karin Kloosterman
Karin Kloosterman is an award-winning journalist, innovation strategist, and founder of Green Prophet, one of the Middle East’s pioneering sustainability platforms. She has ranked in the Top 10 of Verizon innovation competitions, participated in NASA-linked challenges, and spoken worldwide on climate, food security, and future resilience. With an IoT technology patent, features in Canada’s National Post, and leadership inside teams building next-generation agricultural and planetary systems — including Mars-farming concepts — Karin operates at the intersection of storytelling, science, and systems change. She doesn’t report on the future – she helps design it. Reach out directly to [email protected]
